Timing
by daviderl31
Summary: In the episode, "Love, Daisies and Troubadours" Max asked Lorelai to marry him, with 1000 yellow daisies. What would have happened if Luke had taken Rachel's advice and told Lorelai how he felt about her just before Lorelai told Rory about Max's proposal?
1. Big News

**Timing**

_**Previously:**_

**_"_Love, Daisies and Troubadours"****–-**

_LUKE: So you're leaving huh? _

_RACHEL: Yeah. _

_LUKE: Then what is it? Is there another guy? _

_RACHEL: No. _

_LUKE: Then what? _

_RACHEL: It's another girl._

_LUKE: What? You telling me you're. . . . _

_RACHEL: The other girl isn't for me Luke, it's for you. _

_LUKE: And what are you talking about, another girl. What other girl? -- Oh Rachel, no, you don't mean... She and I are just friends. I told you that a thousand times. _

_RACHEL: No. You told it to me once. And you could barely get it out then. _

_LUKE: Rachel, come on. _

_RACHEL: So don't wait too long, okay? _

_LUKE: To what? _

_RACHEL: To tell her._

**- - - - - - - - - - **

_RORY: You have a Rory box? _

_DEAN: And what was going on at the town meeting, all that stuff about writing a song? _

_RORY: I don't know what I was talking about. _

_DEAN: That had nothing to do with me? Well I must have imagined it all then! Your boyfriend's waiting! _

_RORY: He's not my boyfriend. I hate him. _

_DEAN: Whatever. _

_RORY: Dean. _

_DEAN: What. _

_RORY: Stop! _

_DEAN: Why. _

_RORY: Because I love you, you idiot! _

**_- - - - - - - - - -_**

_MICHEL: Daisies no less. As if I would order these pitiful little things. Foul things, these daisies. And just a notch up from weeds. And look how many. I mean, there must be at least. . . . _

_LORELAI: A thousand of them. A thousand yellow daisies. _

_[Lorelai calls Max]_

_MAX: Don't say anything, okay, please. You were right last night. I shouldn't have proposed to you like that. It was stupid. It was the wrong place, and the wrong time, and I kicked myself the entire night for doing it. But you were wrong about something too. I didn't propose to you because we were fighting. I proposed because I love you. We're in a bad pattern Lorelai and we have to break it. And other than that murder suicide thing you were talking about, which would be illegal and messy, I can only think to be impetuous. _

**Chapter One**

**Big News**

As Luke was pouring coffee for Kirk Lorelai ran into the diner, breathless.

"Rory!" she exclaimed, startling him and making him spill the coffee. "Have you seen Rory? I sent her a message to meet me here at seven and she's supposed to meet me her at seven, so what time is it?"

"Seven."

"Where is she?"

"Calm down. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Maybe. I think so. I don't know. Where IS she?"

"What's going on?

"Something big. I have big news. Big, big news."

"You can't tell me what is it?"

"I just need to tell Rory first."

"Okay. I'm sure she'll be here soon."

Luke took a deep breath. Rachel said not to wait too long to tell Lorelai how he felt about her. And she was right – he did have feelings for Lorelai. Strong, deep, passionate feelings. Why he had been suppressing them all these years he didn't know. But it was now or never. If he didn't say something right now he never would.

Luke took another breath and took the plunge.

"Lorelai, there's something I need to say, something to tell you."

"Okay," she said, distracted and looking out through the windows of the diner looking for Rory.

"Can you just look at me for a minute?"

"Okay," she said again, then reluctantly looked at him.

"I know you and this Max have been seeing each other for a while. And it seems like you like each other. But the reason Rachel left was because of you."

Luke's sudden change of subject and Rachel's name caught Lorelai's attention.

"Oh, Luke, I'm so sorry. But what did I did do? I thought we were getting along. I mean, she took me to see the old Dragonfly and she invited me up to your apartment to give me more pictures of it. And she seemed so friendly when I'd come in here. I don't understand."

"No. It wasn't anything you did, it was me. Rachel thought -- knew I had feelings for you, and that was why I was spending so much time with you, at your house, instead of with her."

Lorelai suddenly had an uncomfortable feeling he was going to say something awkward and possibly very ill-timed.

"Luke...."

"No, let me get this out. Rachel said for me not to wait too long to tell you. And she was right, I need to say this, right now."

"Luke...." Lorelai tried to say, a pleading in her voice.

He took another deep breath. "I love you Lorelai. I think I have from the first time you came in here demanding coffee. And I don't know why I couldn't see it before. Or maybe I did and I was just afraid to let myself feel it. Maybe it was because Rachel was here and then she left, and she came back, and she left again, and again. And maybe I was just afraid if I said told you how I felt you'd leave and I didn't want that to happen."

All during Luke's rant, Lorelai was desperately trying to think of some way to make him stop, but he was on a roll and there was no way she could break in.

"I know you and Max are together now, but maybe it's not too late. Maybe – I think you have some feelings for me. I mean, we see each other every day. And I know we've had our disagreements and arguments, but we always made up. And there were moments, I thought they were moments, when we seemed to click."

Luke was almost out of breath and had to take another one.

"So, what do you think?"

"Oh, Luke...." Lorelai was floored. She knew she had feelings for him. Next to Rory and Sookie he was her best, her very best friend. He was always there for her and Rory, and she knew she could always count on him whenever she needed -- well, anything. But for him to express this love for her, right NOW, right after Max had proposed to her, was overwhelming.

"Mom!"

Lorelai turned around to see Rory coming through the door of the diner. Rory was ecstatic. She had the biggest smile on her face Lorelai had ever seen.

"I have to talk to Rory," Lorelai said to Luke, then all but ran out of the diner, pulling Rory with her.

"Oh, Mom. It happened! Dean came to Chilton and I told him! I told him I loved him! We're back together! Mom, I'm so happy!"

Lorelai's dilemma with Luke and Max was temporarily forgotten as she and Rory hugged and squealed and danced around together.

"Oh, Honey, I'm so happy for you, too. Dean's a great guy. I love seeing you this way."

Luke watched them as they celebrated, wondering what it was all about.

As she calmed down, Rory asked, "So what was so important? Your message just said you had big news."

Lorelai didn't know what to say; didn't know which news to start off with –Max or Luke.

"Let's walk," she said. She knew Luke was watching them and she just had to get away.

"We don't want coffee?" Rory asked.

"Oh, no! Coffee won't do it. We need something big to commemorate your and Dean's reconciliation. Let's go to Doose's and stock up on all the junk food and ice cream we can."

"Okay. But what's your news?"

They stopped halfway between Luke's and Doose's.

"Well, I have two things. When I sent the message to you it was only one, but now it's two."

Rory said impatiently, "So give me the first one first."

"Okay." Lorelai took a breath. "Max proposed to me. He sent a thousand daisies to the inn and said he wanted me to think about it."

"Oh my god! That's so great! You're going to say yes, aren't you? You HAVE to say yes!"

"Well, I was kind of thinking about it, you know. Max is so great and I really care for him, but...."

"But what? What 'but' can there be?"

"Luke just told me he loves me. Just now, in the diner, before you came in."

"Oh. Oh god. I know he cares about you, everybody does. But to actually come right out and say he loves you. Oh my god."

"But why did he have to say it **now**? Just when I was so happy about Max."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. I didn't have a chance to say anything. You came in."

"What are you _going_ to say?"

"I don't know. I was just so stunned. I still am. I don't want to hurt Luke. Not after Rachel left like she did."

"So, how do you feel about Luke? Do you love him like you love Max? More?"

"Do we have to talk about this right now? Let's let it wait until later, okay? Right now we are celebrating you and Dean. What can be better than THAT?"

T B C


	2. What To Do?

**Chapter Two**

**What To Do?**

The next morning when Rory got up to get ready to go to school Lorelai was sitting at the kitchen table, looking like she hadn't slept much, if at all.

"Well," Rory asked. "Have you made a decision yet?"

Lorelai shook her head sadly. "No. I don't know what to do."

"Isn't sleeping on a problem supposed to help you solve it?"

"They say. Of course if I actually slept it might have helped."

"You didn't sleep at all?"

"Some. I nodded off a few times but I kept waking up."

"When are you supposed to give Max your answer?"

"Not sure. He didn't give me a time limit, so I've probably got a week."

"And Luke? When are you going to talk to him?"

"I don't know."

"You can't just leave him hanging, you know. You have to tell him something."

"I was thinking about just avoiding the diner altogether for while."

"Mom, you can't do that to Luke. Do you know how hard it must have been for him to say that?"

"I know. It was just so unexpected."

"Do you love Luke?"

"I don't know. Yes, of course I do. Just – not like that, I don't think. But I do know one thing – whatever I say, and whatever I do, someone is going to be hurt. Maybe Max, maybe Luke. But in either case, I will feel like hell because I hurt someone I truly care about."

Rory could see the pain on her mother's face and hear it in her voice and decided she had grilled her enough about it.

"Well, changing the subject. What are you going to do with all those daisies you told me about?"

"It's all taken care of. Even as we speak they are being distributed to everyone in town. Every business is getting a bouquet, and every person gets a handful. I've got Kirk, a few of the inn's porters, and some volunteers handing them out."

"Do you think Luke will take some?"

"Probably not."

"Do you think he'll find out where they came from?"

"Oh, I'm sure he will. I have no doubt Kirk told Miss Patty, and five minutes later all of Stars Hollow knew."

"Then you have go to Luke. You have to tell him something -- anything, but you can't just let him . . . you can't leave him feeling like a fool. He's been too good to us, to both of us. And it's just not right to treat him like that."

"I know, Sweetie. How well I know. You're one hundred percent right. You go on to school. I'll take a shower, make a quick stop at the inn, and then I'll go see Luke."

"Don't talk to him in the diner where other people can hear. Go outside, or upstairs to his apartment."

"Yes, I do know how to be discreet."

"Since when?"

"Since now, okay?"

"Okay. I've got to go or I'll miss my bus. I'll see you this afternoon. And I WILL expect a full report."

"And you'll get it."

Lorelai poured herself another cup of coffee while Rory finished dressing. Rory kissed her on the head and left, reminding her again to go talk to Luke. Lorelai put her head down on the table on her arms folded in front of her. The next thing she knew there was knocking at the front door.

"Rory?" Lorelai said, disoriented. "Did you lose your key?"

But when she opened the front door it was Luke. And not wanting him to come inside, she went out on the porch and closed the door behind her. She had glanced at the clock on her way out and it was after 9:30. She had slept three hours.

"Shouldn't you be at the diner?" Was all she could think of to say. "The breakfast rush is still going on, isn't it?"

"It died down early," Luke replied. "Last night you and Rory left before we could finish our – conversation, because you had something to tell her. And this morning the town is filled with daisies. And Rory went straight to her bus stop without coming into the diner. So I'm thinking there has to be a connection. And I couldn't wait until you decided to show up. So, here I am."

"Luke," Lorelai started to say, but hesitated, not knowing how to explain things that wouldn't hurt him. Finally, deciding the truth would be best, she said, "The daisies came from Max. He asked me to marry him, and that was his way of being romantic."

Luke nodded. "I figured it was something like that after you said you had big news to tell Rory. So, where does that leave us – you and me? Did any of what I said last night mean anything at all to you?"

"Oh, god, Luke, yes! But it was just so sudden. You caught me so off-guard, I didn't know what to say. And I know you wanted an answer, but it's just like with Rory and Dean."

"What do they have to do with anything?"

"The reason they broke up is because Dean told Rory he loved her and she was so – surprised, she couldn't – didn't know how, to answer him. And he got mad about it. And it's the same thing with us. You just sprung this – revelation on me just after Max proposed and I didn't – I still don't, know how to respond. Luke, you know I care about you. You're my best friend. And you've been so good to me and Rory, but . . . ."

Lorelai was finding it hard to speak because she could feel her throat tightening up and her vision was getting a bit blurry from tears she was trying hard not to shed.

"But I can't give you answer. I haven't even given Max an answer. I'm just trying to sort everything out."

Luke wasn't hearing what he wanted to and was having a hard time not getting angry.

"Well, since you haven't told him 'no' then it's pretty apparent you're thinking 'yes'. So have you two decided where you're going to live? Hartford would be closer to Rory's school, but farther from the Independence."

"No, Luke, I don't know. We haven't discussed that."

"Well, who knows how long you'll work after you're married. But you probably already talked about that, right?"

"Luke, I told you we haven't. . . ."

"And you're going to have more kids, right? I mean he wants kids."

"Hi! Personal!"

"So you haven't talked about that either?"

"Okay, what we have and have not discussed is none of your business." Lorelai was now starting to get angry.

"Joint checking accounts?"

"Luke!"

"You do know his last name, don't you?"

"All right, Luke, you want it that way? So fine, here it is – Yes, I have feelings for you. Although right now you probably don't want to know what those feelings are. And I care about Max, a lot. He's a great guy and he loves me and he wants to marry me. And Rory likes him. And maybe I'll say yes, and maybe I'll say no. But whatever I decide is none of your concern. And I'm sorry if that hurts you. And I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear. But there is it."

Luke took a couple of shallow breaths, holding in his anger.

"That's all I needed to know," he said through his clenched teeth, then turned and left the porch and got into his truck, slamming the door and driving off faster than he intended to.

Lorelai took a tired, ragged breath then went back inside to get ready to go to work.

**TBC**


	3. Resolution

**Chapter Three**

**Resolution**

When Rory got home from school Lorelai was sitting on the couch, the TV was on and she flipping through the channels as if she were trying to wear out the battery. Rory took the remote from her and turned the TV off.

"Did you go see Luke?" she asked.

"I didn't have to. He came here. I fell asleep at the table and I woke up when he knocked on the door."

"So what did you tell him?"

"Exactly what he didn't want to hear – that I didn't have an answer for him or Max."

"How'd he take it?"

"His take was that since I didn't tell Max 'no' right away, then it was going to be 'yes.' And he started going on and on about where we're going to live, and are we going to have kids, and are going to have joint checking accounts?"

"All valid concerns."

"Yes, I agree. Valid for Max and me, not for Luke and me."

"So what finally happened?"

"I got mad and told him it was none of his business. And he left."

"Was HE mad?"

"He slammed the truck door and zoomed out of here. So, yes, I'd say he was a little miffed."

"You know you're going to have to talk to him again."

"I don't think so . . . Why would I do that?"

"Because he's Luke, and we care about him, and we love his coffee, and he doesn't make us pay most of the time."

Lorelai took a deep breath. "Yeah, you're right. I can't leave things between us like they are. But I should wait until he's calmed down. Maybe I'll go see him Monday sometime."

"Monday it is. So, I assume you'll want to grab a shower and get dressed for dinner?"

"God, I'd really like to skip dinner tonight. Do you think Emily will miss me if I don't show up?"

"I think she'll miss you if you're five minutes late."

. . . . . .

Lorelai was so distracted she got lost six times on the way to Emily and Richard's. But Emily wasn't upset at them being late because she had big news – Rory was in the top three percent of her class. A fact Lorelai already knew since Rory had told her.

Right after they sat down to eat Lorelai couldn't stand it any longer and excused herself, saying she had to call the Independence to check on Michel. She walked out on the patio and dialed Max's number. As soon as he answered, she asked, "Where are we going to live?"

Max was taken completely by surprised.

"Your house, my house?" Lorelai continued.

"I don't know."

"And I want to work."

"What?"

"I like my bank."

"Okay, hold on."

"We need to figure these things out before. . . ."

"Before what? Are you saying yes?"

"What?"

"Are you saying yes?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Because you call me, out of the blue, completely panicked about where we're going to live and your work and your bank."

"Well, these are important things to discuss."

"I agree. They're extremely important things to discuss, especially if you're saying yes. Are you?"

While Lorelai and Max were talking, Rory kept looking for her to return, and still trying to look interested in Richard talking about some friend or relative she didn't know. Then Lorelai came back into the dining room. It was obvious she was trying to keep from making a scene. But when she smiled and nodded, Rory screamed with delight and ran over to her, and hugged her, and they both screamed.

The rest of dinner seemed unbearably long. Both just wanted to leave so they could celebrate. Finally it was over and they left. And all the way to Stars Hollow Rory insisted Lorelai tell her over and over about how it happened. And Lorelai was more than happy to. But when they got back to town, Lorelai's enthusiasm seemed to wan.

Instead of going straight home, Lorelai drove to the middle of town, then stopped a half block from the diner.

"Why don't you go on home and take the car," Lorelai told her. "There's something I need to do."

"I thought you were going to wait until Monday." Rory said, reading her mind.

"No. I need to tell Luke now. I don't want him hearing it from Patty."

"Do you want me to come in with you? Or wait for you?"

"No. You go home, call Dean, and you two can argue about who's the prettiest."

"You're sure? I can walk home."

"No, you take the car. I have a feeling after this is over with I shouldn't be behind the wheel of a thousand pound vehicle."

"Okay." Rory leaned over and kissed Lorelai on the cheek, she then she got out and went around to the driver's side and got in.

"I love you," she said, then reluctantly drove off.

Lorelai walked the half block to the diner but waited until the last person left before she went in. Luke turned around when he heard the door but when he saw it was Lorelai he turned back around and poured out the last of the coffee.

"No coffee," he said. "It's too late to make more, I'm closing."

"I don't want coffee. I want to talk to you."

"We already talked. And you told me everything I needed to know."

"No, we didn't talk. You got sarcastic and I got mad. Friends don't talk to each other like that."

Luke turned around back to face Lorelai.

"So we're 'friends' now?"

"We were always friends, Luke. From the first time I came in here you have been one of the few friends I knew I could count on. And that's one reason why I'm here now. I want you to hear it from me first – I accepted Max's proposal."

"Yeah, well, I knew you would."

"Well, I didn't."

Lorelai hesitated, trying to find the right words, the right thing to say to make things right again. Finally, she said, "You know, your timing really sucks! If you had told me how you felt six months ago, before I got involved with Max, I might have reassessed my feelings for YOU. But no, you had to say it right now. Why is that?"

"It was Rachel. She figured out why I was spending so much time away from the diner when I wasn't working. And she's the one who told me not to wait too long to tell you how I felt. I guess I should have listened to everyone when they kept insisting I had this 'thing' for you."

"I suppose we both should have listened. But -- it's too late now."

There was silence for a handful of seconds, then Luke said, "You said telling me about you and Max was one reason you're here. There's another reason?"

"Yes. I don't want Rory to think she can't come in here because things between us are awkward or uncomfortable. I don't want her to feel unwelcome."

"Rory is always welcome here, no matter what's going on with you and me. I want you to tell her that."

"Thanks. I will."

Lorelai took a relieved breath. Things hadn't gone as badly as she expected. "I guess I should go. It's getting late and I know you want to close up."

Lorelai turned to go when Luke said, "You know, you're still welcome here, too."

"I appreciate that, but if things are going to be weird between us, maybe I shouldn't, for a while."

"I can't promise everything will be just like it was, but there's no reason we can't, I don't know, pretend for a while, for Rory."

"Yeah, okay. For Rory."

"So, I'll see you two tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah. I think you will."

Lorelai turned again to leave, and was at the door when Luke said, "Uh, congratulations. Max must be a pretty good guy if you love him enough to marry him."

Not trusting herself to speak, Lorelai could only smile and nod her thanks. But when she was outside and out of sight of the diner, she began to cry. She was glad Luke has accepted that she was going to marry Max. But she was miserable because there had been no way not to hurt him.

Lorelai slowly walked home, letting the tears fall, hoping they would somehow ease her pain.

**The End**

_A.N. As we all know Lorelai did_ **not** _marry Max, and eventually, after quite a few obstacles, she and Luke ended up together, as they were meant to be._

_._


End file.
